[TheForge] Identifying Wrought Iron

[Jim Beard]

Yes, thank you all for the information.  I know that this topic has
probably already been covered a hundred times over, but I wanted to
ask again!  I was especially curious about the difference in opinion
I've read about whether wrought is good or bad to forge with.  I know
one of the local smiths I have learned a lot from went off one time
about how excited he was about finding some pure iron.  Not wrought,
just pure iron.  Anyway, I think I'll head back to the scrap yard this
week and see if they still have the links laying around.

Thanks for indulging me!

Jim
Eugene, OR

On 1/29/07, Ron Childers <munlaw2 at hcsmail.com> wrote:
> Good job, Albin
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Albin Drzewianowski
> Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 12:19 PM
> To: Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Identifying Wrought Iron
>
> Jim,
>
> See my answers inserted in your text below.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim Beard" <regionalchaos at gmail.com>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 11:11 AM
> Subject: [TheForge] Identifying Wrought Iron
>
>
> > Howdy Kind Folks!
> >
> > Now that the domain is working again...  I had a question about
> > identifying wrought iron.  Whats the best way to go about it?  I'm
> > assuming you want to be able to see the grain to
> > actually tell, so cutting it would likely be the easiest way?  What
> > about filing down the surface?  Would that expose grains in wrought if
> > they were there?
>
> The most conclusive way for a blacksmith (vs a metalurgist who has a lab
> full of wiz-bang equipment) is probably a spark test.  When held to a
> grinder,  wrought iron gives a very distinct spark pattern: short red sparks
>
> with no starbursts.  Get a piece of known wrought iron to use as a
> comparison piece.  Collect a number of samples of known steels:  AS36,
> coilspring, old file(high carbon), etc.  Then lightly touch each to a
> grinder and notice the difference in the sparks: color, lenght of sparks,
> amount of forking  and numbers of starbursts.  You want to apply the same
> amount of pressure each time, and do it in dim light if possible.   Now that
>
> they have battery powered 4 1/2" grinders, you can do this test in the field
>
> (scrapyard).
>
> Another test which is much more distructive, is to cut a piece half way
> through and then place in vice and bend over and snap the piece,  the
> resulting break will look like you had broken a piece of green wood, it
> would have a fibrous look to it.  Try the same thing with a piece of mild
> steel for comparison.   This test not physically practical in your case with
>
> 1 1/2"  thick chain.
>
> >
> > I'm rather new to smithing (being beating hot iron once a week or so
> > for the last year at a friends forge) and as such don't have much
> > experience identifying metals.  Last week however, I was out at the
> > local steel scrap yard (I try to go once a month or so), and found a
> > few large chain links.  The links were over a foot or more long, and
> > the metal was about 1.5" in diameter.  The metal had been painted over
> > (i think) and was covered in a thick layer of dirt.  I couldn't really
> > see the surface of the metal.  However, it did seem like it had a
> > grain to it.  Almost like the surface was one of a tree branch.  The
> > links look like they had been lap welded on one end (as opposed to the
> > middle of a side, which is what I have seen examples of..).  Anyway, I
> > wondered if these were old Wrought Iron links..
>
> The distinctive bark like look to wrought iron is the result of heavy rust.
> The surface layers of iron rust away, leaving the layers of slag. Usually if
>
> the item is painted you will not get this affect, unless it was painted have
>
> rusting.  Becareful removing the paint, if infact it was wrought iron,
> chances are the pain used had a high LEAD content.  So avoid fumes if
> burning off the paint and avoid the dust if grinding/sanding off the paint.
>
> > Also (I'm sure this is a can of worms here) but I've read some
> > information about Wrought that says it was not as nice to forge as
> > mild steel, yet I hear smiths talk about finding it and liking it too,
> > so I'm a bit confused.  Is it easy / hard / fun / boring to forge
> > with?
>
> Working with wrought iron is DIFFERENT.  You need to work at a VERY high
> temperature - yellow into white.  Also, you need to take the direction of
> the "grain" into account as you would take the grain of a piece of wood into
>
> account when making something.
>
>
>
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Jim
>
> Regards,
> D-ski
> Westminster, MD
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
>
>
>